[日本語は後半にあります]
I wrote about how my eldest daughter was looking to adopt a cat the other day. Just as I was about to finish writing and posting, I received a message from my daughter saying, "I found one!"
Since Kitty was at the SPCA close to my workplace, I decided to go with my daughter to meet the kitty.
My daughter had been considering adopting a cat named Kiki, whom she met at a cat cafe. However, the adoption process took about two weeks after submitting the application, followed by an interview, and even a letter from the apartment manager was required. Having a pet comes with such responsibilities but there were also five other people interested in adopting Kiki, so our daughter was feeling a bit tired and discouraged.
Kiki is a one-year-old tortoiseshell cat who is a little on the shy side. When my daughter met her at the cat cafe, she kept her distance and took a while to warm up to her, so I wasn't very enthusiastic about it. I felt she didn't have a good connection with our daughter.
Then, she found a seven-month-old calico cat on the SPCA website. Both my daughter and I fell in love with her at first sight from the photos. She had been rescued about two weeks ago and was scheduled for spaying in two days, so we thought we'd meet her after she recovered from the surgery. However, we were told to come and meet her right away, and everything went smoothly.
Because she was just rescued, there wasn't much information on her personality or health, and the adoption process happened so quickly that we were worried there might be issues. But now that I think of it, she must have been given a good go because she is very social and so ready to be adopted.
Here is a picture of Mango at the SPCA…
When we went to meet Mango…well, her name was Isa at the SPCA, she came right up to us and pawed us a toy right away.
She meows like a dragon baby. Well, I’ve never seen a dragon baby but you know what I mean. It sounds more like "meaaa” if I must spell it than meow.
She is also very chatty. When we talk to her, she responds with "meaaa" and rolls over to show her belly for a scratch like a puppy.
We were told that she is seven months old, but she is very small. She weighs only about 2.5 kilograms. She might be smaller than Pepper was when we adopted her at five months old.
It took us more than three hours to get home after adopting Mango, including a car ride, ferry, and more driving, during which she was very calm while we travelled back home.
Isn't she cute?
My daughter couldn't decide on a name until we met her, but once we did, it was easy. Mango is a perfect name for her. She is not only cute but she’s so busy and funny!
Despite being small and cute, she has a very large appetite. I always thought cats were picky eaters and reluctant to eat, as Pepper is. But this little one eats three meals a day with no problem and always wants more.
And she doesn’t stay still!
She follows us around the house, which is cute but also dangerous as she wants to walk between our legs. We have to shuffle our feet around the house, haha.
When we lie down, she lies down with us, but as soon as we get up, she gets up. According to my daughter, Mango stays by her side when she's doing her nails or makeup. She even tries to get into the closet and refrigerator when they are opened.
In the bathroom, she rolls around in the sink and wants to join in the bath.
When I was relaxing on the sofa, she squeezed in between me and the cushion and then fell asleep.
What a funny face😆 She walks around with her tongue sticking out sometimes as well.
Yesterday, my daughter took Mango for her first check-up at the vet. She sent me some photos. Aside from the difficulty of the examination because she wouldn't stay still, Mango is healthy and she was very popular with everyone at the vet.
Mango is cute, funny, social, and unique... It seems like my daughter has found a cat that's like a mini, well…a cat version of herself. I’m so happy for both of them.
That's all for today... I visit Mango from time to time so I’ll post more photos when I have more.
[Japanese]
先日、我が家の長女ちゃんが猫を飼いたくて探しているという記事を書きしました。
丁度、記事を書き上げて投稿しようとした時に、「見つけた！」と連絡があり、私の勤め先の近くだったので、私も一緒に会いに行くことになったんです。
猫カフェで出会ったキキという名前の猫ちゃんの里親も考えていたのですが、申込書を提出してからの審査が2週間ほどかかり、その後に面接を受けて、アパートの管理人の手紙の提出も求められるなど…動物を飼うというのは、それくらい責任のいることなんですが、他にもキキちゃんをお迎えしたい人が5人もいたらしく、少々疲れ気味&諦め気味だった長女ちゃんでした。
キキちゃんは少々警戒心の強い1歳のさび猫ちゃんで、猫カフェで会った時に、あまり触らせてくれず、おもちゃで遊んでくれるのに時間がかかったと聞いていたので、私はあまり乗り気ではありませんでした。長女ちゃんとは、あまり相性が良くないなと感じていたんです。
そんな時に、SPCA(動物虐待防止協会)のホームページで生後７ヶ月の三毛猫ちゃんを見つけました。私も長女ちゃんも載せられていた写真の可愛らしさに一目惚れでした。2週間ほど前に保護され、2日後に避妊手術を控えているということだったので、術後回復してから会えるのかと思っていました。すると、すぐに会いに (迎えに)来てください！と言われ、まさにとんとん拍子にお迎えすることが決まりました。保護されたばかりだったので、性格や健康状態の情報があまりなく、あまりに早く決まったので、何か問題のある子なのかと心配になる程でしたが、今思えば、とても社交的なので問題なしの太鼓判をもらっていた子だったのでしょう。
下の写真はSPCAで…
会いに行くとすぐに寄って来ておもちゃをどうぞしてくれました。
可愛らしい「みゃっ」ではなく、ドラゴンの赤ちゃんみたいな (ドラゴンの赤ちゃんは見たことない、笑) かすれた声で「み゛ぁっ」と鳴きます。とってもお喋りです。話しかけると「み゛ぁっ」と答えて、子犬のようにお腹を見せてなでなでさせてくれます。
ただ、生後７ヶ月ということだったのですが、凄く小さいです。体重は2.５キロくらい。生後５ヶ月でうちにきたペッパーより小さい気がします。
車とフェリー、そしてまた車に乗って渋滞に巻き込まれながら家に着くまで3時間ちょっと、とってもいい子にしていました。
会うまでなかなか名前が決まらなかったのですが、実際に会ってすぐに決まりました。
マンゴー…長女ちゃんが考えた名前です。SPCAではイッサと呼ばれていました。
可愛いでしょ〜美人でしょ〜と言いたいところなんですが、それだけではおさまらないのがマンゴーです。
まず、物凄い食欲。猫って好き嫌いがあって、なかなかご飯を食べてくれないイメージなんですが…ペッパーがそう…この子は1日3食ペロリと食べてもっと欲しいと言います。
そしてじっとしていない！
部屋の中、どこへ行く時もちょこちょこついてきます。可愛いのですが、足にまとわりついて危ないです。家の中ではすり足です。
横になると一緒にゴロンとしますが、起き上がるとついて来ちゃいます。
長女ちゃんによると、ネイルをする時も、お化粧をする時もそばを離れないそうです。そしてクローゼットや冷蔵庫を開けると入ってしまいます。バスルームではシンクの中にゴロン。お風呂も一緒に入りたがるとか…
ソファーでくつろいでいたら私とクッションの間にゴロン。そして寝てしまった。変顔にゃんこだ…
時々ちょいベロのまま遊びます。
昨日はお迎えして初めての健康診断に行って来たようです。写真が送られてきました。じっとしていないので検査が大変だった以外は、何の問題はなく、動物病院の皆さんにも大人気だったようです。
可愛くて、愉快で、社交的で、ユニークで…長女ちゃんは自分の分身のような楽しいニャンコに出会うことが出来ました。これからが楽しみです。
時々会いに行くので、写真が貯まったらまた投稿します。
ではまた…